1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to dolls and doll structures, and particularly to a doll structure that incorporates material that provides to the doll structure the weight and feel of a natural human child.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A preliminary patentability and novelty search conducted in Class 446, sub-class 385 has revealed the existence of the following United States patents:
______________________________________ 237,559 1,979,031 3,061,572 3,816,957 4,268,991 ______________________________________
U.S. Pat. No. 237,559 refers merely to a celluloid doll, or more accurately, a doll body fabricated from celluloid. There is nothing in this patent that suggests the use of a material in the fabrication of the doll that imparts to the doll body the weight of a natural child, or simulates the "feel" that one experiences when a live human child is touched.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,979,031 relates to dolls, and particularly to the method of rendering the exterior of the doll soft and pliant to simulate the "feel" of a live human child, but this effect is accomplished through the provision of a "coating" that is placed on the doll parts. There is nothing in this patent that suggests the use of a material that lends weight to the doll structure to simulate the weight of a live child, and which also enables the provision of a covering for the doll parts which, in combination with the material that lends realistic weight to the doll structure, also imparts a "feel" to the doll parts that simulates the "feel" of a live human child.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,061,572 does not relate specifically to dolls. Rather, it relates to a mass of a particular type of synthetic resinous material that has characteristics that make it fun to play with. There appears to be nothing in this patent that teaches the use of this particular material, or its equivalent, as a component in the fabrication of doll body parts.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,816,957 is directed to a particular connecting means for connecting relatively soft parts of a doll such as an arm to a shoulder, or a leg to a hip joint. Again, there is nothing in this patent that suggests the use of a material for constructing doll body parts that are possessed of the weight necessary to simulate the weight of a live child, and which possess the pliancy, deformability, and resilience that imparts to doll body parts incorporating the material a "feel" that simulates the "feel" of a live child.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,268,991 is directed to a soft flexible articulated doll that utilizes specially constructed pivotal joints between the head and trunk, and between the legs and the trunk. While the doll body is soft and flexible because it is fabricated from material such as sponge rubber, there is no teaching in this patent that suggests the utilization of a synthetic resinous mass, such as silicone gel, that possesses the weight and "feel" characteristics of a live child, in the fabrication of doll body parts.
Accordingly, it is one of the objects of the present invention to fabricate a doll body utilizing materials that will impart to the doll body the weight and "feel" characteristics that simulate the weight and "feel" of a live child of approximately the same size as the doll.
Another object of the invention is the provision of a doll structure that incorporates in its various parts a silicone gel material or other elasto-polymer that possesses a weight characteristic that imparts to the doll part in which it is incorporated a weight characteristic that simulates the weight of a corresponding part of a live child of approximately the same size.
Doll structures fabricated from artificial materials frequently possess only a generally similar appearance to a live child, largely because of the limitations imposed by the materials heretofore utilized. Accordingly, it is a still further object of the invention to provide a doll structure that incorporates a synthetic resinous gelatinous material that may be incorporated in various parts of the doll, such as the cheeks and buttocks, to impart a more realistic appearance to the doll, thus enhancing the simulation to a live child.
One of the characteristics often found in dolls that detracts from the simulation of a live doll is the weight factor. Most dolls are very light in comparison to a live child of approximately the same size, and this lightness or lack of weight has an affect on the manner in which the doll is handled by a child. Another characteristic that determines the degree of simulation of a doll body to a live child is the "feel" of the body parts of the doll in response to the sense of touch. The human skin is soft and pliant, yet elastically deformable to the touch. Accordingly, a still further object of the invention is the provision of a doll structure incorporating a marriage of soft, pliant and elastically deformable materials with a synthetic resinous material that possesses a weight characteristic that will impart to the doll structure both the "feel" and the weight of a live child.
The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be apparent from the following description and the drawings. It is to be understood however that the invention is not limited to the embodiment illustrated and described, since it may be embodied in various forms within the scope of the appended claims.